Total pages in book: 31
Estimated words: 28663 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 143(@200wpm)___ 115(@250wpm)___ 96(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 28663 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 143(@200wpm)___ 115(@250wpm)___ 96(@300wpm)
But the smile fades as soon as the doubts creep back in.
“Morning,” Perry mumbles, her voice thick with sleep. She shifts, blinking up at me, her face soft with the kind of trust that makes my chest tighten. “You okay?”
I nod, forcing a smile. “Yeah. Fine.”
But she knows me too well. Her brows furrow, and she props herself up on one elbow, studying me. “You don’t look fine.”
I sit up, running a hand over my face. “I didn’t sleep much.”
She frowns, reaching out to touch my arm, her fingers soft against my skin. “What’s going on, Knox?”
For a second, I almost tell her. I almost spill everything that’s been eating at me, almost let her see the mess I’ve been trying to keep buried. But I stop myself, pulling away just enough to put some distance between us.
“I’m fine,” I say again, but even I don’t believe it.
Perry watches me for a moment, her eyes full of concern. I can see the wheels turning in her head, and I know she wants to push, to ask me what’s really going on. But she doesn’t. Instead, she nods, giving me the space I clearly need but don’t deserve.
“Okay,” she says softly, though I can hear the doubt in her voice. “But I’m here if you need to talk.”
I nod, grateful and guilty all at once. She deserves more than this. More than me pulling away every time things get tough. But I don’t know how to stop.
Chapter Nine
Perry
The familiar scent of bacon and coffee fills the air as we walk into the Copper Country Café. It's a cozy place, all warm wooden booths and mismatched chairs, with locals scattered around, sipping their coffee and catching up on gossip. Knox walks beside me, his large frame cutting a strong silhouette in the soft afternoon light. I’m still getting used to the way people look at him—the mixture of respect and curiosity.
“Afternoon, Knox,” an older man in the corner says with a tip of his hat. Knox gives him a brief nod, his hand resting lightly at the small of my back as he guides me toward a booth. It’s a simple touch, but it sends warmth flooding through me, grounding me in the present.
We barely settle in when I hear Betty’s voice calling across the café. “Well, well, if it isn’t Knox Steele and his lovely lady friend!” Her voice, loud and full of warmth, carries across the room. I freeze for a moment, my cheeks heating up as every head turns in our direction.
Knox just chuckles under his breath, clearly unfazed by the attention. He stretches his arm along the back of the booth, leaning into the wooden seat with that natural, easy confidence of his. Meanwhile, I’m desperately trying to keep my face from burning any redder.
Betty comes bustling over, wiping her hands on her apron, her grin wide and mischievous. She’s known the Steele brothers for ages, and she’s notorious for teasing them like they’re her own kids. “About time you found yourself a bride, Knox. We were all starting to think you’d be a bachelor forever.” She winks at me, making it worse, and I feel my face flame even hotter.
I glance at Knox, half-expecting him to brush off Betty’s teasing, but to my surprise, his lips curl into an amused smirk. He looks down at me, that intense blue gaze of his softening just a bit. “Careful, Betty,” he says, his voice low but playful. “People might start thinking you fancy yourself the matchmaker of Copper Mountain.”
Betty snorts, crossing her arms in mock indignation. “I am the matchmaker and you know it. Especially for you Steele boys. I’ve got an instinct for these things.”
She leans in conspiratorially toward me, lowering her voice like she’s sharing a secret. “You see, Perry, all these Steele brothers—hardened, rough around the edges—but deep down, they’ve got the biggest, mushiest hearts. They just need the right woman to bring it out of them.”
I can't help but laugh, even though I’m still blushing from head to toe. There’s something so comforting about Betty, and the way she so confidently lays out what she sees. I’m not sure whether to be embarrassed or amused, but her infectious energy makes it hard not to smile.
Knox lets out a low chuckle, his fingers brushing my shoulder briefly as if to reassure me. “Don’t let her fool you,” he says, leaning in closer, his voice teasing. “Betty’s been trying to marry me off since I was twelve.”
Betty huffs and waves him off, but there’s a twinkle in her eye as she turns to head back toward the counter. “You’ll see, Knox Steele. One of these days, I’ll be right.” She shoots us both one last look over her shoulder before disappearing behind the counter, leaving me feeling both flustered and a little giddy.